Rory can win another 10 majors, minimum - Bannon

Rory McIlroy and Michael Bannon will be working on his game before and after Christmas in preparation for another assault on the majors in 2013. Michael Bannon sees no reason why top pupil Rory McIlroy can’t rack up at least 12 majors wins.

Speaking to Steve Beacom in today’s Belfast Telegraph, the Co Down swing coach said:

“Rory is the world number one now and he can stay there for as long as he wants to. When he’s on his game there really is nobody better than him.

“To win the US Open and US PGA by eight shots each was amazing. And what he did in Dubai in the last tournament of the year, finishing with five birdies to win, I still haven’t got over how good that was…

“Can he win 18 majors? It’s hard to know but every tournament that Rory enters he wants to win it. He has put a lot of hard work in, his swing is in good shape and he’s in good form and that is a good combination.

“If Rory went on, say, for another 20 years playing top level golf, there’s nothing to stop him winning at least one major every two years and that would be the minimum I would see him winning. It’s hard to put a number on it but he will win more majors.

“As for being the best of all time I don’t know. You have Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to beat — I certainly see the potential for it but it is hard to say.

“He’s 24 in May — if you look at his past record and what he has already achieved and project that into the future, then what is certain is that there is a lot of good stuff to come.”

Bannon, who has been coaching McIlroy since the world No 1 was just eight years old, was presented with the Phillips Manager of the Month prize for November at Bangor Golf Club yesterday.